Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-04-07
A DEATH BROKER.
BUSINESS WHICH REVERSES THE
OPERATIONS OF LIFE INSURANCE.

Are Called-Isuying LeSaties of People
With Expectations-BoneGt and Losses
of tho business.
1t was in n real estate brokers' Office on
Court street; and the time was after dinner
The broker had just disposed of big brick
swell front house on Commonwealth aventio
with as much ease and as little difficulty as
you could sell pint of peanuts at a cattle
fair He was a man of business, that broker
was, and to use an expression which he de-
lighted in, he liked to see things 60 at the
first "crack."
l rather liked him, although l was not
stuck" on him, for was taught in my earl
Ter and innocent days to be cautions i'll my
dealings with the man who talked business as
cold boodedly to mo rs an Anarchist hurls
bomb at n car of all the Russlas.
"You buy lcgacies." l remarked. Such
flat, stale and Improbable remark, l
thought beside tho vigorous and prolonged
push which he gave to his alacritous vocab-
ularv.
"Yes," he replied II make and have made
great many contingent invcstments-poSt
obit Investments some call them. You will
perceive that my business is II novel one, in
this country at least. 1t is of frequent occur
renee in England for q young man who has
been bcqucathcd n sum of money, or left
some real estate, to sell his right to such prop
erty, the buyer, of course, not realizing his
benefit until the death of some guardian,
uncle aunt or parent. OF course we take no
chances on simple wills of living persons, as
such PERSONS may change their Wills dozen
times before.th go over the river Where
would we be if we did? We'd be i'll the river,
and not anoat, YOU bet.
BENEFITS OF THE BUSINESS
"Iet me give YOU an illustration of the
benefits Of this business. Only Il few days
ago Il sailor chap steps in here Says he, I've
just como ashore, having laid alongside enc of
Uncle Sans guns for Years. | haven't q nick,
We sec and chap rs would like to go with me
to see Jake kilrau and Joe I.annon maui
each other. give ne the tip that sell what
right has in the property left me and me
brother by the old man. cant get pick
until the ole woman dies and although she's
near 90, shiver ne ,imbers if l!ont thnkitl
he II big break before she goes aloft. SO, ye
Sec, goes to me brother, and axes him what
he'll give mo fur my share He tells me that
my share amt worth schooner of beer, LIN
disheartened dye see, until this chap MS
want, to see the tight--a Teller as reads, he Is,
though he does boozc-tels me that YOU could
do n,e mp. Now, if ye can, aud does, I'm il"
tar if don't drink vvr health moren wunst.
Ye see, cap'n, we want to get Il peep at the
maulin,,
Questioning the fellow further, | was
assured that hi, claim was solid, and offered
Tim $500 for it at the first crack lie went
away and soon returned with the information
that his brother had abandoned the schooner
of beer theory, and would give hin $1,000 i'll
cold cash. | went the brother 500 better,
however, and We closed tho trade,
so, you SEQ, have not as Yet received
copper in return for my expenditure, and
won't until the sailors mother died Or
course the chances are against her living long
enough to euchre NE out Of my investment.
You must remember there arc cases where
the Driuripal and compound interest of the
sum advanced may in time exceed tho sum
rcnlzel in the end. You see, some old
women never die. What's. tc kill them
Having nosscd through all the critical STAGES
of womoubooa. leading exemplary lives, re-
t;rpa c,rIv and not arising too early, drink
inc re-, nnI eating toast why shouldn't they
i've lone, cnou,h tn hatllc mol Some day
far oway--thry may div w and blow of;
tho, hov. =, show ia mo\a n dollar.
Won 500 this business * the reverse of life
insurance While the life insurance man is
interested in the prolon-ation of human life,
Nv, ,,rorv huvrr looks unon death as the
,,,oe,,,,,,o,, ,yh, unlorks the safety ,cpusit
,.on,ts r. Dives md makes the heart of said
l,,,,,v l,,,er b,nnv Tins the dai.l, pail bo.
Ones ON ;n,r,ruloto wedding garment"
rur n,rp1Cl.rT1rs EyCoIryrERED
To won't an, "Il toll Won another thing.
:, ,r+,, l,o,,,ors ,h,t ,his CONTINGENT invest
want l,,.ira.. nn,,ntcs in favor of the one
y.hn to1.,. ,I,o ,.isl, and the one who sells the
,oo,cv Tbus IN nrntect myself. 7 freuucntly
go, H., ,r, Of tha man in u,4stion insured for
o .,r onrol TO the oxnerted lepocy, So, if
ho din, Lornr, cot NV lcracy why | am
,,r,.a,,o1 Lv tLo ;ncur,nca If has so ham,
,,o,ol ,h,t ,ro+ INV .l,,,~, all RIGHT while tho
man ,hn i ;nsnrcj or his family, is not loft
either
"nrt do wish had those old ladies' good
.o,,ls off nv hands. I've GOT three of them
aIra,dv md NAV have more before winter
,h,ys out in fine lap of SPRING However, |
,,rnfor thrm TO some of the beats / como in
contact with You can't imagine the nunlcr.
ous forces AGAINST which | am obliged to
work sometimes. Dishonest legacy hunters,
nn.runuIous trustees and such. There is a
wide scopc for man who wants to be
croukcd Now. if | buy u legacy from Il fell
low there is nothing to prevent him from
sellne il nrain to some other man. The
cou,ts in this state have decided that tho in
vestm,nt belongs to the first purchaser
Therefore If n fellow comes in here to ofGr
me legacy for sale, how do know that he